Rep. Peter King: Jetliner Attack Was State-Sponsored Terrorism

The attack on Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 on Thursday was an act of state-sponsored terrorism by Russia or pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine, said Rep. Peter King.

The incident, which killed all 298 passengers on board, might also serve as a wake-up call to governments around the world, particularly in the United States and Europe, "to realize how vulnerable we still are," King told MSNBC's "Morning Joe."

"What we saw here was either state terrorism or state-orchestrated terrorism by the Russians and the Ukrainian separatists," King said Friday.
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Pro-Russian separatists are thought to have launched the missile that took down the jet in eastern Ukraine near the Russian border. King said Russia had to "bear the responsibility" for the attack.

King called upon President Barack Obama to show "more leadership" in response to the attack. He criticized Obama's brief remarks on Thursday about the incident, and subsequent appearances at two fundraisers in New York.

"He gave this as a passing reference in a speech in Delaware, then went on to tell [Vice President] Joe Biden jokes, and take the usual shots at Republicans, which is fair game. But, not on this day. And, then go to New York and hold two fundraisers," King said.

The president needs to "come out today and show that he is the world leader and line up European economic sanctions against Russia," King said, calling Russian President Vladimir Putin "criminally negligent" for the airline attack.